Keypads are widely used in portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA). Keypad is a user interface device, in which a user makes inputs by pressing certain keys on the keypad. The act of pressing the keys acts to turn on or off switches typically located on a substrate such as a printed circuit board. The act of turning electrical switches on or off is known as “actuating” the switches and will be referred to as such hereinafter. Generally, in portable applications, small size is highly desirable. However, ensuring adequate illumination of the keypad may negatively impact size and functionality.